Maria Sharapova Asks To Change Her Name To 'Sugarpova' For US Open

 

 

In a bid for publicity for her confectionery brand, Sharapova has applied to the Florida Supreme Court for a temporary change to her name.
Maria Sharapova has a sweet publicity stunt in the bag for the US Open this year, the Russian tennis star is set to change her name to Maria Sugarpova for the duration of the tournament, in a bid to promote her confectionery brand, Sugarpova.
Sharapova, the richest female athlete in the world, has had her annual earnings boosted by the Sugarpova sweets brand, having sold nearly 2 millions packets of sweets last year.
But the name change won’t be a permanent fixture for the world No 3, who recently split from her new coach Jimmy Connors after just one match under his guidance.
Sharapova has gone to the Florida Supreme Court in a bid to temporarily change her name, but would still need the nod from organisers of the US Open, the final grand slam of the year, if she is going to be introduced as ‘Miss Sugarpova’ during the tournament.
If the tournament officials allow it, then it could see umpires calling ‘advantage Sugarpova’, and could even see the US Open trophy being permanently inscribed with ‘Maria Sugarpova’ if she wins the tournament.
The Sugarpova sweets come in flavours such as ‘flirty’, ‘quirky’ and ‘smitten’, and the former world No 3 has invested £300,000 in the brand.

Kidnapped 3 Female Teachers Regain Freedom

Three female primary school teachers abducted by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers at Orhogbua Primary School in Ekhehuan village, Edo State have regained their freedom after two weeks in captivity.
It was gathered that they were released at about 3.am yesterday at the Ekhehuan axis of the state.
They were said to have called members of their family who went to pick them up. The teachers, Patience Osadoplor, Momodu Aisha and Patience Oroghene were seized and whisked away at gunpoint from the school on July 30.
Their abductors had initially demanded N60 million ransom for their release, but later slashed the amount to N7.5 million. As at press time, it could not be ascertained if any ransom was paid before the teachers were released.

ASUU Strike: We’ll Shut Down Nigeria – Activists

Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, stood still for many hours yesterday, as over 1,000 university students, lecturers, human rights activists and other stakeholders took to the streets. They staged a peaceful rally to show their displeasure over what they termed ‘poor funding of education in the country.’As early as 6:00a.m, participants began to converge on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), secretariat annex in Yaba, Lagos, for the protest. The rally eventually took off at 8:00a.m.The nationwide indefinite strike embarked upon by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to protest poor funding of education by the government has been on since July 1.
The protest, organised by the Joint Action Front (JAF), a coalition of students and civil right groups, was led by Comrade Abiodun Aremu. Leaders of the group who participated in the rally included Lagos radical lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Aturu and representative of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Comrade Chibuzor Asomugha.
Also in attendance were the leaders of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Concerned Students Against Education Commercialization, Education Rights Campaign and others.
The organizers said similar rallies would be held at various zones across the country. Protests would also be staged in Kano, Ibadan, Owerri, Calabar, Abuja and other places.
The protesters, carrying scores of placards with various inscriptions, sang numerous abusive songs to press home their agitations. They did not only sing, they danced with a view to sensitizing the public about their cause.

The students barricaded Ikorodu Road at Onipanu area as they bemoaned their fate. The students also played football on the highway.
The protesters assaulted the Federal Government with the inscriptions on their placards. The inscriptions addressed various issues including alleged government’s insensitivity to the plight of teachers at all levels of education, high school fees and poor infrastructure in public schools.
As this was going on, economic activities on Ikorodu Road were brought to a standstill. The situation led to heavy traffic on the road. Motorists and commuters spent many hours on the road after they were held up in the logjam.
Addressing the protesters at Palmgrove, Comrade Abiodun Aremu described the march as a tip of an iceberg, adding that series of protests have been lined up to force the three tiers of government in the country to jettison their purported negative attitude to the growth and development of education and embrace positive attitude.
His words: “This is just the beginning of a number of protests that we have lined up in the coming days. We are going to be peaceful in all the protests. As you can see today (yesterday), there are no street urchins or ‘area boys.’ The aim is to draw government attention to the numerous problems bedeviling education in the country. We need the support of everybody. If we don’t do this, nobody is going to do it for us.”
Aremu also appealed to necessary stakeholders such as parents, traders, artisans and others to join JAF in the subsequent protests that would be staged in different parts of the country. If this is done, he believed, the government would be compelled to take pragmatic steps to evolve a policy that would transform educational sector in Nigeria.
Representative of ASUP, Comrade Asomugha, in his speech, said: “Education is not only for the rich. Nigerians should wake up and reclaim what belongs to them. We, members of ASUP, have resolved to join the protest to salvage the education sector. We want to identify with the spirit of peaceful protest, which is a veritable tool to fight a just cause.”

He lamented that this feat would remain a mirage if the NLC and other relevant stakeholders would not take the bull by the horn and fight for the rights of the downtrodden.
The aim of the protest, according to JAF, is to draw the attention of government and members of the public to the bleak future awaiting Nigerian children if decisive steps are not taken to redress the problems. JAF further lamented that children of top politicians and government officials are being trained in private schools in Nigeria and abroad with funds allegedly looted from public coffers.
JAF secretary, Comrade Aremu, stated that the protest was organised to force government to pay attention to the universities lecturers’ demands, not to molest anybody. He said the lingering ASUU/FG feud over the non-implementation of the 2009 agreement did not prompt protest but the need to emphasize adequate funding of the educational sector. He added: “We have mobilized students concerning today’s protest; we also plan to make it nationwide.
“Nigerians must know that the politicians (at the presidency, state governments, national and state assemblies), top civil servants, traditional rulers and their cronies of contractors and patrons were beneficiaries of public education. Also, some of them set up private schools and universities in Nigeria and abroad with stolen funds from the public coffers. That is why none of their children are in any public school in Nigeria.
“The case of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State is the most striking example. He enjoyed free tuition at the University of Benin, without which he wouldn't have been educated. Yet, the same Governor Fashola turned Lagos State University (LASU) into a high cost fee paying university from N25,000 to N320,000, thereby throwing children of the poor who voted for him and who his government refused to pay the N18,000 minimum wage, out of school.”
The National Association of Nigerian Students, also yesterday appealed to the federal government, university lecturers and polytechnic teachers to resolve their face-off for the sake of students. President of NANS, Mr Yinka Gbadebo, told students had continued to be victims of conflicts between lecturers and governments.
University teachers, under the umbrella of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, had on July 1 embarked on an indefinite strike to protest the non implementation of a part of an agreement it had with the federal government in 2009.

THE SUN NIGERIA

How Oshiomole Detected Teacher Who Can’t Read Own Certificate

It was drama, Tuesday, at the venue of the verification of certificates of primary school teachers in Edo State, as a teacher in Asologun Primary School, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state, Mrs. Augusta Odemwinge could not read a sworn affidavit she purportedly tendered as part of her credentials.
The state governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, who paid an unscheduled visit to the state Staff Training Centre, venue of the exercise, said “if you can’t read, what do you teach the pupils, what do you write on the board?”
Chairman of the state Nigeria Union of Teachers, Mr. Patrick Ikosimi, who was also at the screening to monitor the exercise, said that the woman’s failure was “an embarrassment.”
On arrival at the centre, the governor took time to peruse some of the teacher’s credentials and documents presented.
When Mrs. Odenwingie took her turn during the exercise, the governor, who listened to her defence, asked her to read the affidavit she presented, but she stuttered, to the consternation of everybody around.
Ikosimi, who described Mrs. Odemwingie’s failure to read a document she presented as an embarrassment, said the union was in tune with the state government on the need to sanitise the school system.
He said: “We are committed to partnering the government to reposition education in the state. What this teacher has just displayed is a show of shame; it shows the decadence in the education sector.
“As the chairman of NUT, I had written to the governor that we are in total support of what he is doing.
“He should properly involve the NUT, so that together we can fish out the culprits, who are not viable as far as the system is concerned,” he said.

VANGUARD

I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E: Diezani Blows N2 Billion On Private Jet In Two Years

While the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU are on strike for improved working condition, Petroleum Resources Minister, Dieziani Allison-Madueke has spent a whooping N2 Billion in the last two years on Private Jet rentals traveling around the world on both official and personal trips, according to a petition.
The petition currently before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alleged that Mrs. Allison-Madueke spends $500, 000, an equivalent of N80 Million on Private Jets rentals in her numerous overseas trip monthly.
The Petition by Crusader For Good Governance signed by Okechukwu Obiora Nnamdi alleged that unlike other cabinet Ministers, the Petroleum Minister rejected a commercial flight and paid $300, 000 for her trip to China when President Goodluck Jonathan visited the Asia country.
According to the Petition, “in the last two years, she has been maintaining a private jet, Challenger 850 Visa Jet at $500,000 per month.”
An Aviation expert told Pointblanknews.com that a one hour trip from Abuja to Lagos cost between $15, 000.00 to $24, 000.00 and $100,000.00 for a seven hour trip on Lear Jets or Challenger 850 Visa Jet.
The petitioners noted, “her frequent trips to meetings of the Organization of Oil Producing and Exporting Countries, OPEC, in Vienna, Austria have been through private Jets.”
“Worse of all, even when Mr. President is traveling and the use of Presidential jet is guaranteed, the Minister of Petroleum never makes use of such cost saving measures. When the President visited China, she was on the trip but travelled in a private Jet at the cost of $300, 000.00”
“The same happened during Mr. President’s trip to South Africa, she also travelled in a private Jet at the cost of $300,000.00.”
The petitioners listed the Petroleum Minister lavish trip that has cost the nation huge amounts of money to include:

• During Easter Break, she flew a private jet to Dubai with members of her family at the cost of $300,000.00

• During President’s visit to South Africa, she flew in a private jet costing $300, 000.00

• NNPC maintains a private Jet Challenger 850 Visa Jet at $500,000.00 monthly for the Minister

• Went to OPEC meeting in Austria also in a Private Jet

• Has never attended any meeting outside the country in a commercial or Presidential jets in the last two years and has spent over N2 Billion on maintaining aircrafts in the last two years.

• She is the only Minister who attends events when the President is traveling in private jets

• She does official jobs in her house and hardly goes to the office

• Unlike other Ministers, she flies private jets to anywhere even when the president is travelling to the same location

• Information from FAAN, NCAA, NAMA confirmed thatbshe has never flown
commercial aircraft in the last two years.

• The President went to China but Madam Petroleum Minister did not go on the Presidential Jet, she went in a private jet, further vleeding the national purse The petitioners urged the EFCC to promptly investigate the allegations as the President may not be aware of “all these atrocious and reckless spending of the Minister.”

They specifically urged the EFCC to investigate all its claims from FAAN, NAMA and NCAA.

POINTBLANK

'We Have Defeated Boko Haram' - Defence Headquatres

Defence Headquarters yesterday described the Boko Haram’s fresh attack on some innocent people in some villages in Borno State, as an act of desperation.
This fresh bounds of attack led to an emergency meeting of the Security Council on Monday at the instance of President Goodluck Jonathan to brain storm over the dastardly act of the insurgents.
Reacting to the issue, the Defence Headquarters spokesman, Brig-Gen Caleb Olukolade said the Boko Haram insurgents have been defeated but were desperately attacking innocent people in order to draw attention to themselves despite the defeat.
Olukolade assured the populace that they had conquered the insurgents and with the collaboration and co-operation going on between the public and the military, the attacks on the innocent would become a thing of the past very soon.
According to him, the attack is condemnable, they are doing so as a reaction to their defeat, they are engaging in desperate action in order to draw attention to ensure that the public still realize of their existence.

SuperSport Begins Search For A Pidgin Commentator

In a bid to reach out to its divergent audience in the country, Supersport Nigeria has commenced the auditioning in search of a pidgin commentator to run the Glo Premier League.
This, according to the outfit, will be the first of its kind in Nigeria and the winner will provide commentary on the Glo Premier League, which now boasts several stars in the Super Eagles.
Speaking of the novel initiative, General Manager, SuperSport West Africa, Felix Awogu said research has shown that football fans do not only want to watch the game alone on television, but to also enjoy the commentary in a language they can understand very well.
He said the auditioning would hold in two states, Port-Harcourt, August 23rd and 24th, 2013 and Lagos, September 6th and 7th, 2013 while the Grand Finale also holds in Lagos on October 4th, 2013 as entry is open to Nigerians above the age of 21 years.

Zimbabwe Agrees To Sell Uranium To Iran: Report

Zimbabwe has signed a secret deal to supply Iran with the raw materials needed to develop a nuclear weapon, in breach of international sanctions, The Times reported on Saturday.
"I have seen [a memorandum of understanding] to export uranium to the Iranians," Zimbabwean Deputy Mining Minister Gift Chimanikire told the British newspaper.
The agreement, which was reportedly signed last year, is likely to cause alarm in Western capitals.
The United States and the European Union have imposed crippling sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, which Tehran insists is for peaceful energy uses but which they fear is intended to build a bomb.
Zimbabwe is also subject to international sanctions over its human rights record and conduct of elections.
President Robert Mugabe, who won another five-year term in disputed polls last month, has publicly backed Iran's nuclear drive.
During a visit by Iran's then president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to Harare in April 2010, Mugabe said his guest should be assured of "Zimbabwe's continuous support of Iran's just cause on the nuclear issue".
Chimanikire is a member of Zimbabwe's opposition who is likely to be replaced now that the election has brought an end to the shaky coalition government.
He said the uranium deal had been made without his knowledge, and was only known to a handful of people at the top of the government.
Despite the agreement, The Times reported analysts as saying that it was likely to be a long time before Zimbabwe's uranium reserves were ready for export.

Usher Wins Child Custody Battle

A judge in Atlanta has dismissed an emergency request by R&B singer Usher's ex-wife seeking temporary custody of their two children.
Tameka Foster Raymond had requested the hearing earlier this week after their five-year-old son got caught in a pool drain while in the care of the Grammy winner's aunt.
After a hearing in which both Usher and Raymond took the stand, Fulton County Superior Court Judge John Goger dismissed her request for temporary primary custody and decision-making authority.
Raymond's court filing had said their son "suffered a near-death accident" while left unsupervised at Usher's home on Monday.
Usher and Tameka Raymond married in 2007 and divorced two years later. They went through a lengthy child custody battle, and Usher was awarded primary custody of the boys last year.

Oprah Winfrey Victim Of Racism In Switzerland

A top store in Switzerland has apologized to Oprah Winfrey for refusing to let her look at a $38,000 handbag but has denied it was because the shop assistant was being racist.
Winfrey was shopping in the city ahead of Tina Turner's star-studded wedding to Erwin Bach earlier this month when a shop assistant failed to recognize her told her 'she wouldn't be able to afford' the handbag she requested to see.
She said the incident taught her racism was still an issue - even when you are a world-famous celebrity.
She told Entertainment Tonight: 'I was in Zurich the other day, in a store whose name I will not mention. I didn't have my eyelashes on, but I was in full Oprah Winfrey gear. I had my little Donna Karan skirt and my little sandals. But obviously 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' is not shown in Zurich.
'I go into a store and I say to the woman, 'Excuse me, could I see the bag right above your head?' and she says to me, 'No. It's too expensive.''
The saleswoman went on to suggest she look at cheaper bags. 'I left the store but it proves that racism is still an issue,' Oprah added.

'There's two different ways to handle it. I could've had the whole blow-up thing... but racism still exists, of course it does.'
The incident took place in the chic Trois Pommes store whose owner, Trudie Götz, ironically was also a guest at the Turner nuptials.
The handbag in question - a crocodile skin 'Jennifer' bag by American designer Tom Ford which he designed for Jennifer Anisten - was on sale for 35,000 Swiss francs ($38,000) and was locked in a cabinet to prevent shoplifting.
The store owner told the country's Blick newspaper there had been 'a misunderstanding' caused by the assistant’s failure to recognize Oprah but denied the snub was due to racism.
She apologized for her assistant’s behavior, saying there had been 'a misunderstanding between her and Oprah'.
'I thought her English was not quite as good as that of Oprah,' she said. 'She only meant well'
'She said it just fine, did everything right. I can not blame the staff. I see no reason to dismiss [her]'.
She has vowed to stand by the assistant and says she sees no reason to sack her following the incident.
However, others disagree, and the row has split a country where racism is already in the headlines.
Markus Hünig, president of the Zurich Bahnhofstrasse Association, the street where the tony boutique is situated said the assistant's conduct was 'completely unacceptable'.
A spokeswoman for the Swiss tourism office said: 'We are very sorry for what happened to her' before adding in a tweet: 'this person [shop assistant] acted terribly wrong'.
The bag has now been sold.

During the same interview, Winfrey went on to say that racism was still prevalent in many walks of life.
She added that as a high-profile and wealthy celebrity, she experienced overt forms of racism quite infrequently but sexism was far more common.
'True racism is being able to have power over somebody else. So that doesn't happen to me that way.
'It shows up for me this way, it shows up that sometimes I'm in a board room or I'm in certain situations where I'm the only woman, or I'm the only African American person within a 100 mile radius, and I can see in the energy of the people there, they don't sense that I should be holding one of those seats.
'I can sense that. I can never tell is it racism or is it sexism, because often it's both.
'The sexism thing is huge. The higher the ladder you climb, it gets huge.'
Winfrey earned $77 million in the year ending in June, according to Forbes magazine.
The incident comes as Switzerland is engulfed in a wider row over racism as communities seek to ban asylum seekers from places like churches and libraries for fear they will 'upset' the natives.
Switzerland has strong right-wing elements linked to the wider neo-Nazi scene in Europe.
Two years ago an anti-immigrant party ran on a platform of curbing immigration, showing on a poster a field of white sheep kicking out a black one.
It's not the first time that Oprah has had a run in with a high-end boutique.
Hermes was forced to apologize to Winfrey in 2005 after she was turned away from their Paris store.
The talk show host was also shopping for a Tina Turner occasion then - buying her a watch for her birthday.
Hermes denied Oprah was mistreated because of her race and claimed the was closed for a private event.